Kajima Foundation Research: Survey of Japanese Paintings in Swiss Museums

Prof. Dr. Katsushi Narusawa, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan and Prof. Hans B. Thomsen

Through the generous support of the Kajima Foundation, we have been able to plan a two-year project for surveying Japanese paintings in Swiss museums and collections. The 2015 survey will take place at the beginning of the Autumn Semester. On September 9, at 13:00-15:00, a training session for the survey will take place at the Villa Schönberg – the purpose will be to train the participants in Japanese ways of surveying paintings. The student participants will then be able to join the survey at the following locations: Sept 10 in the Bernisches Historisches Museum, Sept 11 in Historisches und Völkerkundemuseum St Gallen, Sept 12 in Museum Rietberg, Sept 13 in Villa Schönberg (only PM), Sept 13 again in Museum Rietberg, and Sept 14 in Neuchatel. (Dates and places may change slightly). Participants are encouraged to join as many sessions as possible, but are not required to take part in all.

The project will be led by a leading expert on Japanese paintings, Prof. Dr. Katsushi Narusawa of Waseda University. He and his assistant (Ms. Marimi Tateno) will visit the collections with the group and will examine paintings in Swiss collections. The paintings have, almost without exception, never undergone scientific examination. Through the survey, the student participants will learn more about Japanese paintings, Japanese survey methods, and Swiss museums with East Asian collections. It should be an excellent project for future professionals in the field. All KGOA students are encouraged to take part. Since space is limited in museum storage areas, there is a restriction in the number of participants. If restriction becomes necessary, then it will be made on the basis of seniority within the KGOA program.

Interested students, please come to the introductory session on September 9. We are meeting at 13:00 in the Seminarraum of Villa Schönberg. The session will last two hours. Interested students, please contact KGOA Assistant Alina Martimyanova (alina.martimyanova@khist.uzh.ch). As with all Internal Praktika, ETCS points will be given at the completion of the project – and upon the receipt of a letter addressed to Prof. Thomsen, accompanied by a short report of 3-5 pages in German or English, outlining what the participants have learned in the project. As written in the KGOA Studienordnung, MA students would receive 3 ETCS points and BA students would receive 2 ECTS for successful participation in the project.